Nozzle



April 18, 1939.

E. w. CROWLEY r 2,154,731

NOZZLE Filed Aug. 2, 1937 INVENTOR ENOS W. CROWLEY BY $wf Vial, MM

ATTORNEY5 Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Tropic-Aire, Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Delaware Application August 2,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements innozzles, generally, and more particularly to nozzles adapted for use in connection with windshield defrosters to distribute the heated air over the surface of the windshield.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive defroster nozzle comprising a body adapted to be positioned in substantially parallel relation to the windshield, and having a plurality of deflectors or vanes adjustably mounted thereon, whereby the directional flow of heated air from the nozzle may be controlled.

A further object is to provide a nozzle comprising a plate member having a plurality of deflectors mounted thereon and constructed of a bendable material, whereby they may readily be adjusted to different positions by simply bending the material, thereby to control the distribution of the heated air over the surface of the windshield or other surface to be defrosted.

Other objects of the invention reside in the simple and inexpensive construction of the device, whereby it may be manufactured at small cost; in the unique manner of mounting the plate member on its supporting member, whereby it may be relatively adjusted with respect to the surface of the windshield; in the unique arrangement of the deflectors on the plate member, which deflectors are suitably secured to said plate at one end only, whereby the upper and major portions thereof may be bent laterally with respect to the discharge opening of the nozzle, thereby to control the distribution of the circulated air from the nozzle.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawing there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the variousv objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view showing a portion of a windshield with the improved nozzle mounted adjacent thereto;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the plate member upon which the deflectors are secured;

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3-4 of Figure 2, showing the supporting member or base of the plate member;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 1937, Serial No. 156,965

4-4 of Figure 1, showing the position of the nozzle with respect to the windshield; and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View on the line 5--5 of Figure 3, showing the manner of securing the device to the instrument board.

In the selected embodiment of the invention here shown, there is illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, for purposes of disclosure, a portion of an automobile comprising the usual instrument board 2, having an upper forwardly extending wall 3, shown provided with a seat ladapted to receive the usual sealing member 5, in which the windshield 6 is supported. A portion of the cowl of the vehicle is shown at I.

A nozzle, generally indicated by the numeral 8, is shown provided with an elongated discharge end 9 adapted to be seated in a suitable opening provided in the wall 3 of the instrument board, as is common practice. The lower end H of the nozzle is preferably cylindrical in cross section and is adapted to be connected to one end of a suitable conduit I2, the opposite end of which may be connected to a suitable automobile hot air heater, not shown.

A feature of the present invention resides in the means provided at the discharge opening l3 of the nozzle for directing the heated air against the adjacent surface of the windshield 6. The means provided for thus controlling the directional flow of the heated air from the nozzle, is shown comprising a body or plate member I4 having forwardly extending ears l5 which are pivotally connected to upstanding lugs l6 provided on a suitable base or supporting plate ll, adapted to be fitted against the upper surface of the wall 3 of the instrument board. The supporting plate I! is provided with suitable apertures l8 for receiving screws or other securing devices, which preferably pass through alined apertures in the wall 3 and are engaged with the upper end of the nozzle 9, and have their lower ends received in suitable apertures provided in lugs l9 formed on the upper end of the nozzle 8, thereby to secure the nozzle in position adjacent to the windshield 6.

An elongated opening 20 is provided in the base plate IT, as best illustrated in Figure 3. One side of this opening is defined by an upstanding flange 2I integrally formed with the metal from which the base I! is made and preferably having its ends made integral with the lugs IE, to which the plate I4 is pivotally connected by the pivots 22.

By thus pivotally mounting the plate M on the lugs N5 of the base ll, the plate may be relatively adjusted with respect to the surface of the windshield, as indicated by the dotted lines A in Figure 4. The pivots 22 are so constructed as to frictionally retain the plate I in adjusted position.

Another important feature of this invention resides in the means provided on the plate member H for outwardly deflecting a portion of the air discharging from the nozzle 8, and whereby the heated air may be distributed in a fan-like manner over a relatively large area of the surface of the windshield.

As best illustrated in Figure 2, a plurality of deflectors 23, 24, 25, and 26 are secured at their lower ends to the lower portion of the plate member M, as, for example, by spot welding. Each deflector, it will be noted by reference to Figure 2, is shown provided with an offset lug 21, which lugs are seated against the plate member l4 and suitably secured thereto. The upper portions of the deflectors are unsecured and are capable of bending, as indicated by the full and dotted lines in Figure 2, thereby to position them so as to obtain the desired spread of the air from the nozzle over the surface of the windshield. This, as hereinbefore stated, is an important feature of the invention, in that it makes it possible to construct the entire apparatus at a very small cost. As only the lower ends of the deflectors 23, 24, 25, and 26 are permanently secured to the plate member M, the upper portions or ends thereof may readily be so bent or shaped as to cause the heated air to be spread over the surface of the windshield.

The novel device herein disclosed, is particularly well suited for use in connection with hot air heaters provided with an outlet for diverting a portion of the hot air therefrom to a remote portion of the vehicle body as, for example, a surface of a windshield. The device may readily be installedon conventional automobiles, and when once adjusted to obtain the proper spread of the air over the surface of the windshield, further adjustments of the deflectors 23, 24, 25, and 26 are unnecessary. Two nozzles are preferably used for each Windshield, and by properly shaping the deflectors on the plate member M, the entire surface of the windshield may be defrosted to provide clear vision for the driver, regardless of variations in the temperatures between the inside and outside of the vehicle. It will also be noted, by reference to Figures 1 and 4, that the device, when installed on the vehicle, presents a very neat appearance. The deflectors 23 to 26, inclusive, are concealed back of the plate l4, when looking at the device from the drivers side.

In the drawing, I have shown the invention as applied to a nozzle adapted for use in connection I with a windshield and an automobile heater, to direct or spread the hot air over the surface of the windshield, but it is to be understood that it may be used for other purposes as, for example, it might be possible to attach the nozzle 8 to a hose, for the purpose of. outwardly spreading a stream of water. WhenEso used, it e'may be found desirable to provide a greater number of deflectors on the plate member M, in order to obtain more uniform distribution of the water or fluid. It might also, in some instances, be found desirable, to pivotally mount the deflectors 23 to 26, inclusive, on the plate member H. To so mount the deflectors, obviously, increases the cost of the device, and as the deflectors, when once adjusted to the proper positions or angles, need not be adjusted again, I prefer to permanently aflix the lower ends thereof to the plate member I4, and simply bend the'deflectors to obtain the proper spread of the fluid. This provides a very simple and 'neat appearing structure and one that has proven very satisfactory I and eflicient in operation.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a nozzle having an elongated discharge opening, a plate member disposed at one side of said opening and extend ing in the direction of fluid flow, a plurality of deflectors supported at one end on said plate member and positioned over said opening, said deflectors being capable of adjustment laterally to control the directional flow of fluid from the nozzle.

elongated discharge opening, a plate member disposed at one side of said opening and extend ing in the direction of fluid flow, a plurality of deflectorsv secured to said plate member-at one end and positioned over said opening, said deflectors being bendable to' control the directional flow of the fluid.

3. In a nozzle for directing heatedair against the surface of a windshield, a plate member mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from the windshield the pivotal axis being in l substantially parallel relation thereto, and a phi-J ENOS w. CROWLEY...

. at. 2. In combination with a nozzle having an I 

